PANJIM: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar declared that he had asked Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh for a one-time exemption for those Goans who had registered themselves in Portugal but had not taken their passports. He said he had mentioned this to Singh orally, in a bid to settle the issue of registration of births and the bilhete de identidade (BI) issue viz a viz Portugal and Goa.
“We have asked the Centre for a solution. The central government has promised to find one,” the chief minister told Herald.
Speaking to the press after laying the foundation stone for the National Institute of Water Sports building at Aivao, Caranzalem, the chief minister said that though oral discussions had been held the home minister had asked him to submit a written proposal.
According to the chief minister, though he spoke to the home minister, a solution still had to be found and one of his proposals was a “one time amnesty” for those who had not given up their Indian citizenship.
Revelations of registration of births in Portugal by at least 50,000 Goans including apparently some 4000-5000 government servants and even some elected representatives, have shaken the state. In a written reply in the just concluded assembly session, Parrikar had said that a total of 15 complaints had been filed by several activists in various police stations.
“Out of nine complaints filed in different police stations of south Goa, criminal case has been registered in two complaints. The rest of seven complaints are still pending before various JMFCs,” the reply mentions. “Out of three complaints filed in different police stations of north Goa, no case
has been registered. Out of three complaints before the crime branch, no case has been registered,” the reply further stated.
The chief minister also said that he had met the Union Environment Minister Prakash Javdekar on the buffer zone issue and submitted details of mapping of zones “where we want one km buffer zone.” Parrikar declared that the one kilometer buffer zone will be implemented by September 10.
He also said that he and Javdekar who also happens to be the I &B minister discussed the IFFI plans.
“We have tourism land at Dona Paula circle. We will build the IFFI secretariat and one multiplex at Dona Paula for the next IFFI,” he told media. “This year IFFI will be held at the same venue,” he said.
